Automatic tension device for looms



May 21, 1929. G. M WHIRTER AUTOMATIC TENSION DEVICE FOR LOOMS Filed Sept. 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Inventor 6604p"? [a Wii'fii' Home G. M WHIRTER 1.714390 AUTOMATIC TENSION DEVICE FOR LOOMS May 21, 1929.

Filed Sept. 16, 1927 Z Sheets-Shecat Georg? 8 2%,.

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v Attorngy Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED. STATES PATENT oF- I CE.

GEORGE MOWHIRTER, 0F BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

-AUTOMATIC TENSION DEVICE FOR LOOMS.

Application filed September 16, 1927. Serial No. 220,013.

This invention relates to tension devices for looms and has for itsprimai'y object to automatically maintain a uniform tension throughout the entire warp used in the man'- ufacture of silk fabrics on weaving looms.

It has been found that in the weaving in- (lush-y that the slack in the warp results in producing rope and berry marks in the fin ished fabric and accordingly by employing an automatic tension device, such as proposed by my invention, no-slack is permit;

, which is inexpensive to manufacture and install. in operative position upon a conventional type of loom and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the special construction and combination of the various elements constituting the invention, reference being had to the drawings forming a part of this application, wherein Figure 1 is a view inside elevation.

Figure 2 is a top plan view showing the tension device in operative position with respectto the shaft of the warp beam.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along a line 33 of Figure 2, and 1 Figure 4 is a similar view taken along a line 4.- l of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a warp beam of conventional construction is indicated at 5 having its ends supported by a driving yoke 6 mounted for rotation on a shaft 7 A U-shaped bearing support 8 is provided for the shaft having one side thereof bolted to the frame shown in dotted lines at 9. V

A U-shaped bracket 10 has its ends freely mounted upon the shaft, said ends being arranged outwardly with respect to the adjacent end of the bearing bracket 8, the bracket being arranged to extend normally at a horizontal position.

A worm wheel 12 is arranged on the shaft for rotation therewith and positioned so as I to extend betweenthe open ends 11 of the bracket 10. A worm gear supporting bracket 13 is secured to the'opposite ends of the bracket 10, having a'shaft 14 extending vertically therethrough upon which the Worm gear 15 is keyed "for rotation therewith. The lower end of the shaft let extends throughthe bracket 13 and carries a bevel gear 16 thereon, said gear engaging 'a similar bevel gear 17 secured on oneend of a shaft 18 rotatably supported in arm 19 depending from the bracket 10.

The shaft 18 also carries a ratchet wheel 20 operatively engaged by a pawl 21 carried at one end of a reciprocating rod 22, which'has its opposite end attached to a crank 23 secured on the crank shaft 24 of the loom. It will be noted from an inspection of Figure 1 of'the drawings that the rod 22 is supportedintermediate its ends upon the endof the shaft 7, which thereby limits the downward movement of the pawl 21 with respect to its engagement with the ratchet wheel 20. I

A link 25 extends downwardly in an inclined position from the lower portion of the bearing support 8, to which one'end of the link is fixedly bolted 'at 26, the opposite lower end of the link pivotally supporting one end of a lever 27 adapted to support a weight 28 at the opposite end thereof. The weighted end of the lever 27 is provided with a series of'notehes 29 providing means for the adjustment of the weight thereon.

A rod 30 having a hook 31 formed at its lower end engages the lever 27 and support-s the same in suspended position from a boss 32 formed on one of the arms of the bracket 10. The relative position of the lever 27 with respect tothe bracket 10 is therefore constantly maintained by reason of the connection thereof by the rod 30.

In the operation of the device, as the thread is unwound from the warp beam 5, the shaft 7 is rotated and the bracket 10 is maintained in an upward position as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing by reason of the engagement of the worm wheel 12 with the worm gear 15. In such position the ratchet wheel 20 is in position for engagement by the pawl 21 which through its actuation by the crank shaft 24 will operate to intermittently rotate the ratchet wheel, which having a geared connection with the worm wheel 12 will facilitate the rotation of the warp shaft 7 whereby to aid in the unwinding of the thread from the warp. The tension of the thread during the unwinding operation is normally sufiicient to maintain the bracket 10 in upward position against the force of the weight 28, but in the event the ratchet wheel 20 is operated too rapidly so as to cause a slack in the thread, the bracket 10,

will swing downwardly whereby to cause the disengagement of the pawl. 21 therefrom and the ratchet wheel will accordingly remain idle until the tension of the thread is again increased suliiciently to raise the bracket 10 upwardly. In this manner the proper tension is automatically maintained upon the thread during its entire unwinding operation without requiring the services of an attendant.

It is obvious that the invention is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims and I accordingly claim all such forms of the device to which I am entitled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a warp tensioning device, a warp supporting shaft, a bracket pivotally mounted on said shaft, a worm gear carried by'the bracket, a worm wheel mounted on the shaft operatively engaged therewith, a ratchet wheel carried by the bracket, means operatively connecting the same with said worm gear, a reciprocating rod, supporting means therefor limiting the downward movement of one end thereof, a pawl carried on said end engageable with the ratchet wheel, means operatively connecting the opposite end of the rod, a pivotally mounted lever, a weight attached at the free end thereof and a rod connecting said lever with the bracket whereby to move said ratchet out of engagement with said pawl upon a decrease in the tension of the thread of said warp.

2. In a warp tensioning device, a warp supporting shaft, a gravity actuated bracket pivotally supported on said shaft, a ratchet wheel mounted on the bracket, means operatively connecting the ratchet with the shaft and adapted to retain the bracket in a predetermined pivoted position by the tension of the warp and reciprocable operating means for the ratchet arranged for move ment in a planeat right angles to the axis of the ratchet, said ratchet being movable relative to said plane 7 of the operating means, and said operating means being free for movement upwardly during an upward movement. of the ratchet and limited in its downward movement whereby to regulate the extentof rotation of the ratchet in accordance with the increase or decrease in the tension of the warp. I

3. In a warp tensioning device, a warp supporting shaft, a gravity actuated bracket pivotally supported on said shaft, a gravity actuated wheel mounted on the bracket, means operatively connecting the ratchet with the shaft and adapted to maintain the bracket in a predetermined pivoted position by the tension of the warp, a reciprocably operable arm arranged for movement in a plane at right angles to the axis of the ratchet, said arm being free for upward movement and limited in lllS.'Cl0WI1W&lCl movement, and a pawl carried by the arm engageable with the ratchet said ratchet be ing moveable relative to the pawl for en gagement therewith at a predetermined position on the ratchet for regulating the ratio of movement between the throw of the arm and the ratchet, in accordance with the increase or decrease in the tension of the warp.

. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE MoWI-IIRTER. 

